2004 Kia Optima Problems, Recalls & Reliability
306 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Kia Optima, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 14/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Latches & locks leads the reports, typically around 93,700 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2004 Kia Optima has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2004 sits among all Optima years
What owners report
“Drivers side door will not open with the power lock or by key, i have been getting in and out of my car by using the passenger front door. My husband found a way to unlock my driver side door, now i can not lock my car again.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Optima
“The driver side door will not open from the inside or outside, with or without the key. I've tried everything and can't get it to open. I had to crawl to the passenger side after getting home to get out.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Optima
“My air bag light comes on there's no wires disconnected under the seat and my seat belts do not retract well also my door locks are getting stuck in lock mode and my engine comes on and then goes off.after awhile.when in park”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Optima
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 241 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 85,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 57,000 and 107,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
KIA MOTORS CORPORATION (KMC) IS RECALLING 36,538 MODEL YEAR 2001-2004 OPTIMA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI,…
Fix: KMC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 15, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA'S CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.
Technical service bulletins
15 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2004 Kia Optima. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2004 Optima TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2004 Kia Optima reliable?
The 2004 Kia Optima drew 306 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 14/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2004 Kia Optima problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Kia Optima are latches & locks (81 complaints), electrical (50), and body & structure (42).
At what mileage do 2004 Kia Optima problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Kia Optima problems around 85,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 57,000 and 107,000 miles.
Does the 2004 Kia Optima have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2004 Kia Optima. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.